STS-88 Launch Visibility Info
Mir16609@aol.com
Sat, 28 Nov 1998 01:01:37 EST
Time to repost a useful message for those along the East Coast of the USA.
The original posting from Quinster7@aol.com may be found here:
http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/Sep-1997/0322.html
Posted launch obs using this as a guideline:
http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/Sep-1997/0373.html
http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/Jan-1998/0244.html
The launch (December 3rd) window is approximately 3:54 to 4:04a.m. EST
(08:54-09:04 UTC); liftoff planned for 3:59 a.m.
Here's the post:
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(Cuts referencing the STS-86 Mission)
The Shuttle will be visible by virtue of the light emanating from its three
main engines. It should appear as a very bright, pulsating, fast-moving
star, shining with a yellowish-orange glow. The brightness should be at
least equal to the planet Jupiter. Observers who train binoculars on the
Shuttle should be able to see it look like a tiny V-shaped contrail.
Along the Southeast U.S. coastline, anywhere north of Cape Canaveral, it is
suggested that you look low toward the south-southeast sky within 2 to 4
minutes after the launch (to the south of the Cape, look low toward the
north-northeast). In the mid-Atlantic region, look toward the
south-southeast about 4 to 7 minutes after launch, while in the northeast
U.S., look low toward the south-southeast about 7 to 8 minutes after launch.
Atlantis will seem to "flicker," then abruptly wink-out 8 1/2 minutes after
launch as the main engines shut-down and the huge, orange, external tank is
jettisoned over the Atlantic at a point 415 miles southeast of New York City.
At that moment, [Endeavour] will be at an altitude of 375,000 feet (71
statute
miles) and should be visible for a radius of 700 statute miles from the point
of main engine cutoff (MECO). Of course. . . before hoping to see the
Shuttle streak across your local sky, you should make sure it has left the
launch pad! Watch the launch on CNN, or listen to a radio station that is
covering it live. Then head outside and start looking skyward.
VISIBILITY DATA FOR SELECTED EAST COAST CITIES
Time of closest
Location Approach Max.Altitude
Azimuth
(T + Min.) (Deg.)
(Deg.)
Savannah, GA T + 3.5 10.2
142.6
Spartanburg, SC T + 4.5 4.4
137.3
Myrtle Beach, SC T + 5.0 13.8
140.7
Wilmington, NC T + 5.5 15.3
142.7
Greensboro, NC T + 6.0 6.6
128.0
Cape Hatteras, NC T + 6.5 22.1
146.6
Roanoke, VA T + 6.5 5.0
126.3
Norfolk, VA T + 7.0 11.9
129.5
Hagerstown, MD T + 7.5 5.0
129.8
Washington, DC T + 7.5 6.8
127.9
Philadelphia, PA T + 8.0 7.8
132.2
Atlantic City, NJ T + 8.0 10.0
131.9
New York City T + 8.5 8.0
129.6
Boston, MA T + 8.5 7.8
160.8
Portland, ME T + 8.5 5.5
169.8
Cheers
Don Gardner
Homepage: http://hometown.aol.com/mir16609/
76.8419 W, 39.1796 N, 34m ASL